This week went by so quickly. And for my first time in Japan, one thing really caught my attention is how helpful people are here.

Most Japanese do not speak a very good English, but they try to help as much as they can. For example, when I got off the bus from the airport I just ask a man that works at a hotel how to get to my University and he pulled out a map and draw the way to get there on it, before giving it to me. Other people had the same kind of experience, where a person would walk with them toward campus until it was easy enough for them to get there by themselves.

It is kind of a shock, since I am from a country that is known for its lack of friendness. Most people that have been to Paris recall Parisian avoiding them or not responding to their ask for help.

Here people come to you right away without even you asking and they try as much as possible, although sometimes they don’t understand and either bring something very different then what you asked or send you in the wrong direction.

But isn’t the mean that counts not the outcome ?

Here is a picture of my buddy group made of international and japanese students from Rikkyo University.

Taken by Nora Azmani, September 4yh 2019, Rikkyo University

D-10: I can’t keep my mind on anything. The only thing that keeps on coming back to my thoughts is Tokyo. I know, by experience, that this excitement is going to be replaced by anxiety a few hours before departing.

D-8: I could not stop myself. I had to start packing.

D-3: Last time I am seeing my friends before leaving. They also have to go back to their universities and lives, summer is over. It is so nice to see that we all started at the same point and now we are studying all over France, Europe and the world.

D-1: It just feels like I’m never going to leave, altought my flight is tomorrow morning. No stress, just the sea, the sun and the beach.

T-10: I can’t even seat down to eat dinner. I am so stressed about leaving now that I need to move or to watch stupid tv shows to keep my mind off thinking. I know I won’t sleep tonight.

T-2: I might have slept an hour overall. I don’t know why I can never sleep the night before leaving home, either of excitement or fear. Tonight was full of fears.

T-0:30: At the airport with my family, all the fears have left my body. I would not say I am excited, but at least I will be able to sleep through the flight thanks to this amazing night of sleep.

In between flights: I am so tired, I can’t wait get in the transcontinental airplane. So that I can start a movie and fall asleep.

it is not the first time I travel by myself and move out far from home. I know every step of this routine. I think I have the chance and bad luck, at the same time, to jot be able to imagine the future. It keeps me away from being anxious until I am so close that I can feel it.